ABSTRACT:Tuberculosis is an infection caused by the rod-shaped, non–spore-forming, aerobic bacterium Mycobacterium tuberculosis.Mycobacteria typically measure 0.5 ìm by 3 ìm, are classified as acid-fast bacilli, and have a unique cell wall structure crucial to their survival. The well developed cell wall contains a considerable amount of a fatty acid, mycolic acid, covalently attached to the underlying peptidoglycan-bound polysaccharide arabino galactan, providing an extraordinary lipid barrier. Mycobacterium tuberculosis is spread by small airborne droplets, called droplet nuclei, generated by the coughing, sneezing, talking, or singing of a person with pulmonary or laryngeal tuberculosis. These minuscule droplets can remain airborne for minutes to hours after expectoration. During the course of a systematic search for new antibiotics, an actinomycin complex was isolated from Streptomyces regensis sp. This actinomycin complex differs from other actinomycins described in literature in its amino acid composition and is very highly active against Staphylococcus aureus and Mycobacterium tuberculosis. The strains of Staph. aureus highly resistant to penicillin, streptomycin, chloramphenicol, tetracyclin and erythromycin are equally susceptible to its action.

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Cite:Ravi G Patel, Chirag K Patel, B Panigrahi, CN Patel. Tuberculosis: Pathophysiology, Clinical Features, Diagnosis and Antitubercular Activity of an Actinomycin Produced by a New Species of Streptomyces. Research J. Pharmacology and Pharmacodynamics. 2010; 2(1):23-26.